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Open presents at birthday party that isn't at your home?

grlmom16grlmom16 member
in Toddlers: 24 Months+
Hi all! We are having our DD's party this year at a park from 4-6p. I am going to order pizzas to have delivered around 5:15 I think, and have a cooler full of drinks - water, juice, etc. Cupcakes at the end. I was thinking though - what's the etiquette on opening the gifts? Do we do it while we are there so everyone can see or do we take them home, unopened. I know people like the grandparents and others who I think might be a little upset if we didn't open. Technically time is not a HUGE issue since we have the pavillion till 7p. Opinions or experiences? Thanks!!
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Re: Open presents at birthday party that isn't at your home?

  • sschwegesschwege member
    I've been to plenty of birthday parties where the gifts were not opened, so I don't think it's a big deal, particularly based on what you are describing, time-constraints, not being at home, etc.  But I also get the Grandparents thing, my mother HATES that gifts aren't always opened!  You say you have the pavilion until 7:00, what if you just waited until later and just kind of played it by ear?  Like I'm imagining if a few people stay to help clean up or whatever maybe you say, "Hey, DD want to open up Grandma's gift while she's still here?" and of course anyone else who is still there.  
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  • meg1974meg1974 member
    I think it might be hard to get everyone to sit still long enough to watch gift opening, especially at a park. To me, the gift opening is always a bit awkward anyway b/c some people bring expensive, elaborate gifts while others don't. Most parties I have been to, they did not open gifts. 

    If you have family members who want to see her open gifts, I would say have them wait until after the guests leave and then just have her open their gifts in front of them. 


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  • belladonna11307belladonna11307 member
    I like the play it by ear suggestion.  Or could you invite those who want to see gifts opened back to your home?
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  • luvmyducksluvmyducks member
    We save presents for the very end. That way people can leave and not miss out on playing/food/cake, and others can stay.
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  • erbearerbear member
    I have two kids (2.5 and 4.5) and I have yet to go to a kid party where gifts are opened there. It's uninteresting for kids. We skip it and open them later.
    "Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies. God damn it, you've got to be kind." - Kurt Vonnegut
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  • camedowncrushingcamedowncrushing member
    With DD's party last year we didn't open presents at the party with the exception of one. We had one guest request she open it...which she did, and quickly tossed aside.  This year for sure we won't be "opening gifts" like it is an event.  If anyone wants her to open a gift from them she will, and other than that we will wait until the next day. 
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  • kgs0505kgs0505 member
    BLang23 said:
    I've never ever attended or thrown a children's party where gifts were not opened. It's always done at the end after all the other activities and after cake. If people aren't interested in watching they can leave and won't miss anything other than the gift opening. Most kids love to watch the birthday boy or girl open presents and they usually gather around to the birthday kid so closely bc they are excited that you have to keep telling them to back up haha! Also I think it's considered proper etiquette to open them during the party so the giver can see their gift opened. It's not as much fun to give a gift and not be able to see their reaction.
    Same here.  I've only been to one party where gifts weren't opened at the party and I thought it was weird.  But it was at the Boys and Girls club where kids were swimming and there was major time constraints.  I personally like to watch the kids open their presents.

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  • grlmom16grlmom16 member

    Thanks for the feedback! I think for our situation the waiting till the very end, after cake and all, is a good idea. This is still going to be mainly family at the party, even the kids are her cousins, with the exception of a few of my girlfriends and their kids, which are DD's friends.

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  • jlpevjlpev member
    We always did DS's gift opening right before cupcakes. Usually it went fast BC we would kinda push it along. He would get distracted so I had someone help grab stuff he had already opened to set aside. I know the people were friends with love to see the kids open their gifts.
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